Wellington sets goal of becoming 'Te Reo Māori' city by 2040

A vision to make Wellington a Te Reo Māori city by 2040 has been unanimously voted in by Wellington City Council.

Mayor Justin Lester stated in Te Tauihu, the council's Te Reo Māori policy, that this is a public statement of it's commitment to revitalising te reo in the capital.

The year set for the goal to be achieved is 200 years since the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.

The policy will see the council give well known areas Māori names, putting a Te Reo Māori focus in community programmes, its website and services, an increase in haka and Te Reo Māori at public events, as well as using the language in committee room meetings.

Te reo will also be recognised as a desirable competency for recruitment of council staff and staff will be given the opportunity to learn te reo.

Councillor Simon Marsh said it's about embracing the country's point of difference, as we do with rugby.

"English is going to remain as the dominant language ... but as a small island nation we need to remember what is important to us," he said.

Council and members of the public gave a mighty pakipaki after the decision was voted in by all council members, before joining in a waiata.

The mayor addressed the Wellington City Council today on the city's 2040 goal.
Source: 1 NEWS

A Whangārei real estate agent has unlawfully entered a rental property without the tenant's consent, making their children's beds while there, and landing the property owner with a fine.

Estate agent, Zoltan Waxman, was judged by the Tenancy Tribunal to have failed to get consent to enter the property in Kamo, Whangārei, with a photographer, as he was in the process of preparing the house for sale.

His actions have left owner, Susan Agnew, with a fine of $365 that must be paid to tenants Tylah Reihana and Dillon Wihongi, Stuff reports.

Agnew had told her tenants in January she planned to sell the property, and estate agent Waxman contacted them the same day to ask if he could take photos of the house.

Tennant Reihana replied to Waxman that she wanted more time to tidy up, suggesting Thursday or Friday of the following week.

Waxman then texted on Monday to instead ask if he and the photographer could come thorough earlier, on the Wednesday.

However, Reihana never received the text, and when she returned from work on the Wednesday she found her children's beds made and Waxman's business card on the kitchen bench.

Waxman told the Tenancy Tribunal, to whom the incident was reported, he assumed because there had been no reply to his text, Reihana did not object to the visit with a photographer on Wednesday.

However, Tenancy Tribunal adjudicator N Blake did not agree, and judged because Reihana did not receive the text and did not consent, Waxman's entry with the photographer was unlawful.

The Residential Tenancies Act allows landlords to enter their premises to show it to prospective buyers, including for photography for the sale - but all provided consent from the tenant had been given.

Entry without this consent is unlawful, and damages up to $1000 can be awarded.